Chapter 1

1.      The challenge and triumph in reading Galeano are in his expansive vocabulary and his writing style where historical references are constantly woven into his own commentary. Pick three words, names, or ideas you had to look up while reading this section and write a couple sentences why you think knowing those definitions significantly enhance your comprehension of the text.

I had to look up exodus (mass departure), syncretism (the combination of different systems of philosophical or religious belief or practice), and bastion (somebody regarded as providing strong defense or support). After reading the definition and then rereading where they were in the text I got a better understanding of what Galeano is trying to portray in his writing.

2.     The description Galeano provides for the first contact between the indigenous peoples of Latin America has some stark similarities with the description of Captain Cook's first contact with the Hawaiians. What are some of the similarities in both accounts?

In both accounts there were many deaths and the Hawaiians were seen as savages. Missionaries also came and converted the natives to Christianity. The locations were both prime for resources and the people were exploited and used to grow crops. The land was taken away and was used for the good of the other country.

3.      America was the vast kingdom of the Devil, its redemption impossible or doubtful; but the fanatical mission against the natives' heresy was mixed with the fever that the New World treasures stirred in the conquering hosts (13). A lot of this section discusses the relationship between the land conquests paralleled with the ideological conquest (religion). What role did religion have in the invasion of Latin America?

In Spain Catholicism was a main part of their country. So when the conquistadors came to exploit the people, the missionaries were not far behind to convert the “savages” and make them believe in their God.   

           Galeano quotes the saying "Father a merchant, son a gentleman, grandson a beggar" as an analogy to describle that Spain did with the immense amount of wealth it extracted from Latin America. How does this saying represent the ways that Latin America's resources were the delirium and demise of Spain?

This analogy is saying that with the wealth from South America it made the original person rich which then made way for a merchant, a person who sales things, to a man who is still wealthy and a gentleman, to a beggar after all of the money is gone. Like the towns that they get the wealth, the men who get the wealth also dry up.